The ANC Youth League is calling for the Nelson Mandela Bay council to be dissolved and fresh run of elections.
It stems from their locking horns with Bay mayor Mongameli Bobani, whom leaders of the league feel is not taking the youth seriously.
A meeting to discuss what programmes the youth desk in the mayor’s office were championing was cancelled at the eleventh hour on Wednesday, much to the frustration of the Bay Youth League leaders.
ANC Youth League regional secretary Luyolo Nqakula said Bobani's behaviour and attitude towards the youth was regressive and reactionary- somewhat reminiscent of the DA-led coalition.
"In hindsight, we do not know why we nudged such an extremely busy man such as the current mayor who is kept busy by the criminal justice system.
"It has become evident he has a lot to account for before the courts which we suspect may be the reason the mayor could not account to us about youth development.
"If this attitude persists we will not hesitate to initiate mass action against it, as we did with the DA-led coalition," Nqakula said.
He said Bobani’s chief of staff Nombeko Nkomane told them that Bobani held a meeting with chief whip Bicks Ndoni and speaker Buyelwa Mafaya where it was decided the youth development policy be relegated to Ndoni’s office.
“The relegation of this meeting is a clear signal that the mayor is either clueless about the Youth Development Policy and its contents, or that he has no regard for the youth or the issues affected it.
“We cannot accept the fact that a matter which resides in the Office of the Mayor is relegated to another office and we view this decision as undermining to our efforts to initiate discussions around Youth Development,” Nqakula said.
He added: “The ANCYL Nelson Mandela Bay REC (regional executive committee) rejects the mayor’s actions without fear or contradiction.
“If anything, this is a reflection of a condescending and arrogant approach towards the youth where three old individuals can sit in a room and think that they have the authority to decide on the fate of young people.
“The underdevelopment of the youth, joblessness and destitute state is a situation which we have a political responsibility to confront. In our quest to do so we will not hesitate confront anyone with the anger they deserve who prove to be a barrier to youth development.”
Bobani could not be reached for comment.